Your Hands Are Cold
by Faye Mitsui Dante
Summary: Erm, I *really* don't know what I was drinking when I wrote this, because it was instinctive... gomen nasai! ^^;; Rukawa and an original character, non-hentai! >=P


A/N #1: I do not own Slam Dunk, Rukawa Kaede (Though I wished I could… ;_;), Mitsui Hisashi (Same as Rukawa ;_;), Kogure Kiminobu, Miyagi Ryota, Sakuragi Hanamichi, Ayako, Akagi Haruko and Akagi Takenori. However, the character Yukaede/ Yukaede Aosiato/ Yukaede Rukawa is 100% owned by me and me alone. Any copying of this character will lead to… *Polishes katana*  
  
A/N #2: I really don't know what I have been drinking when I wrote this, because I didn't even realize it, it was instinctive… so pardon me please… ¬¬;  
  
"Your Hands… Are Cold…"  
  
Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan  
  
It was a peaceful, sunny day and the birds are chirping outside. Sunlight streamed into the bedroom window in the Rukawa residence.  
  
Rukawa stirred and woke up, sitting on his bed, blinking and rubbing his eyes. He looked at the clock, and it read 6:34 am. Beside the clock was a beautiful photo frame, and Rukawa took it.  
  
The picture showed him with a little smile, looking smart in a black tuxedo. He remembered that he was forced to smile, and smirked. However, he was not alone in the picture. He was holding someone. Someone clad in white and smiling happily. A beautiful, fair, red-haired girl. Yes, his… wife.  
  
Rukawa heaved a little sigh, put the frame back and looked to his right. His wife was sleeping soundly beside him, and he didn't want to wake her up.  
  
"Damn, I got basketball practice…" Rukawa mumbled as he dragged his feet around and got ready. He then proceeded to grab his duffel bag and leave. Yes, he's married. At the age of 19 with a wife his age and he is still in Shohoku.  
  
"Just what was I thinking when I married her?" Rukawa shook his head as he cycled (He has a car but he's too lazy to use it) to the school.  
  
However, halfway, he remembered something. "How can I forget my basketball shoes!" his mind screamed as he pedaled furiously back home.  
  
As he reached home, he gently tiptoed in, as not to disturb his sleeping… wife. He went upstairs, and heard sobbing. Curious, he hid himself behind the wall and saw his wife sobbing on the bed, looking at the frame.  
  
"Kaede-chan, why are you so cold? We've been married for the past 2 weeks, and yet you have never talked to me unless you needed to. I fell so… useless…" she wiped her tears away and stood up; gasping as she noticed her husband was back and saw her.  
  
She blushed and wiped away the tears. "O… ohayo, anata-chan," and proceeded to walk out.  
  
Rukawa stopped her in her tracks, grabbed her arm, then by her waist. "Yukaede kimi-chan…" Rukawa whispered in her ear.  
  
"Anto…. anata-chan… hanesai…" Yukaede replied. She was looking at the floor, disappointment obvious in her beautiful Eurasian looks.  
  
"Eh… nani?" Rukawa loosened his grip slightly and stared at his wife.  
  
"Anata-chan. Tell me the truth. Do you… do you really love me?" the question. The question that hit Rukawa worse than a basketball error.  
  
"Kimi-chan? Doushita? Of course I do…" Rukawa said, as he gave Yukaede a hug, but to his surprise, Yukaede gently pushed him away.  
  
"You're just saying that because you heard me in the room, right? I… I understand," Yukaede said, pushing her way away from Rukawa and walked downstairs. The gentle closing of the door was heard.  
  
Rukawa was left in a daze. He sighed, got his basketball shoes and went to practice. His wife has already taken the car.  
  
At practice, he tried his best to concentrate on his game, and luckily, he succeeded. Normal bickers with Sakuragi occurred, the usual 'Do'aho', 'Kitsune' and stuff.  
  
Practice ended at 7:00 pm, since they will be having a big game against Kainan in two more days. Rukawa dragged his feet into the locker room, sighing, and sat in the dark corner.  
  
The lights turned on, and Rukawa looked to see who did that. It was Mitsui and Sakuragi. "Nani yo, do'aho?" came Rukawa's famous reply. "Can't you guys leave me alone?"  
  
"Well, we can't help but notice the problem so clearly painted on your face…" Mitsui chuckled.  
  
Rukawa didn't reply to him, but he just merely glared daggers at them.  
  
"Kora kitsune! Let the tensai guess! You're…. Having a problem with Yukaede-san, ne?" Sakuragi laughed.  
  
"Sakuragi! This is no laughing matter!" Mitsui punched him on the head.  
  
Sakuragi glared at Mitsui, who sweat dropped.  
  
"So, Rukawa… what seems to be the problem?" Mitsui asked.  
  
Rukawa shook his head, "None of your business." And walked away back home.  
  
Back home  
  
He expected to see Yukaede at home, dinner already ready as he entered, but to his surprise, Yukaede was not back yet.  
  
"Yukaede-chan?" he called out, but no one responded. Feeling slightly worried, he picked up the phone and tried to dial Yukaede's hand phone, but to no avail.  
  
Rukawa became restless. It's not of Yukaede's nature to disappear like that. Reluctantly, he picked up the phone again and called up a few of her friends. Negative.  
  
Sighing, he slumped against the posh leather sofa and switched on the TV. The news was on.  
  
"There has been a near-fatal accident at the Kanagawa-Oitsauka Junction Highway today at 6:23 pm, where a black Toyota Corolla Altis allegedly swung into the ramp and plunged into the valley," the reporter said, and in the background, was the scene with not many people because of the rural location, and rescuers and police.  
  
"Black… Altis…?" Rukawa's mind raced. Cold sweat poured down his body as realization dawned on him.  
  
He grabbed the phone frantically and dialed Sakuragi's number.  
  
"SAKURAGI!" Rukawa shouted in the phone as he heard Sakuragi's voice answering the phone.  
  
"Kitsune? What… why did you call me?! Nyahahahahah!" Sakuragi replied.  
  
"Sakuragi! You heard the news? I fear it might be Yukaede-chan, since she was missing since this morning and she took the car…"  
  
"NANI?! I'll come right over, and I'll call the rest, ne?" Sakuragi said, and they hung up.  
  
Minutes later, Sakuragi arrived in his car. Rukawa grabbed his jacket and raced out.  
  
Kanagawa- Oitsauka Junction Highway  
  
It was very dark there, and there were only a few people there, who were beginning to leave out of impatience. The press was gone as well, leaving only the rescuers and police. Mitsui, Akagi, Kogure, Ayako, Miyagi and Haruko were there as well. Rukawa jumped out of Sakuragi's car.  
  
The car wreckage was salvaged, and it was horrible smashed. No one in there could possible be alive. "Rukawa-kun!" everybody shouted, but he ignored them and bounded over to the scene. Naturally, he was held back by the police.  
  
"HANESAI! It might be my wife there!" Rukawa shouted. Sakuragi and the rest of the gang tried to pull him back, but Rukawa resisted.  
  
"Please Kanata-san, he fears that it's his wife and… I'm afraid he'll be very paranoid…" Ayako talked to one of the policemen.  
  
They only let Rukawa pass, and as he did, they managed to recover the body. Everyone expected to see a bloody, mashed body. "Victim's lucky. Managed to get flung into a cave at the side of the cliff…" the rescuer said.  
  
Rukawa rushed to see the body, and his fears were confirmed. It was Yukaede. She was not mashed though, she was only bloody and a lot of supporters were needed.  
  
Rukawa attempted to follow them as they loaded her into the ambulance, but he was denied to follow for some unspecified resons... He clenched his fists in anger as he sees the ambulance drive away.  
  
"Rukawa…" Sakuragi approached him, and then gasped. As the tensai approached the kitsune, he delivered a powerful blow to his gut and Sakuragi doubled up in pain.  
  
"Leave… me… ALONE!" he shouted at everyone, and they could see that Rukawa was holding back tears. The pain of not being able to be with Yukaede at this critical time was unbearable for him.  
  
The watched in silence as Rukawa walked away and Haruko tended to Sakuragi…  
  
Rukawa Residence  
  
Rukawa could hardly sleep. Yukaede's life was in danger, and he was not allowed to follow them. He regretted everything he said and did to Yukaede ever since they first met. Yukaede showed a lot of interest in him, and didn't give up until he at least spoke a word to her. It brought back a lot of memories to him… painful memories…  
  
Start Flash Back  
  
"Waaaai, she's so pretty~" a girl commented as Yukaede walked by. She was indeed beautiful, with fair, soft skin, slender body, silvery blue eyes, long, silky, soft flowing red hair, and she was of Eurasian descent.  
  
She was in Rukawa's class, and would do anything to make Rukawa talk to her. She was cute, with a childish personality and once, even tripped in class much to everyone's embarrassment, but she just laughed it off.  
  
She attended every basketball game, and also wished to be a basketball player herself. Once, she tried to masquerade as a guy and play, and to everyone's surprise, she was really good. However, Rukawa blew her cover when he accidentally elbowed her in the chest. No one was mad at her though.  
  
Since then, Yukaede was embarrassed of Rukawa, and even though she kept her old personality, began to be 'avoiding' him, because of the incident. Rukawa found her to be incessantly cute, and couldn't help but fall for her.  
  
Soon their relationship began to develop. Although Rukawa talks to her only when needed, Yukaede was still happy. And when they were in college, Rukawa proposed to her, and she gladly accepted.  
  
Although they may seem to be rather 'happy', Yukaede still had something against Rukawa she couldn't stand even after their marriage. He was still cold as usual, and so far, they haven't even had intimate moments. Yukaede sighed, reminding herself to be lucky to be married to someone who was the heartthrob of many and smiled~  
  
End Flash Back  
  
In the end, Rukawa managed to get a wink of sleep, in a huge contrast to his daily habits…  
  
Kinagata General Hospital  
  
Rukawa arrived eaven before visiting hours, yawning, and proceeded to the counter. In his hand was a huge bouquet of Yukaede's favourite flowers (Although she doesn't really prefer flowers…). He asked which room Yukaede was, and was extremely relieved to find out that Yukaede was, at least, not in the ICU…  
  
Instead of waiting for the lift, he took the stairs, as Yukaede's room was on the 5th floor. "Not much of a big deal, I can improve my stamina~" Rukawa thought to himself.  
  
As he arrived, a doctor walked out of the room, and Rukawa stopped him.  
  
"Doctor… how's my wife?" he asked.  
  
"Well, for someone involved in such an accident, I should say she is extremely lucky to have sustained such light injuries… so far she nothing is wrong with her brain, skull or spine, but she has several broken ribs," the doctor said.  
  
"Can I… can I see her?" Rukawa asked, feeling relieved and grateful.  
  
The doctor nodded, and mumbling a thanks, he stepped in.  
  
The room was sparse but well-kept, with a sofa and there was Yukaede, still sleeping. She had bandages on her chest, forehead and hands, and plasters on her face and almost everywhere.  
  
Rukawa walked towards her and looked at her. She seemed to be void of any pain and for once, Rukawa smiled an unforced smile. He took her hand, and she woke up.  
  
"A… Anata-san?" she looked at Rukawa.  
  
"Yukaede-chan… are you alright?" Rukawa asked with concern.  
  
"Hai, arigato. I'm sorry to make you so worried…" Yukaede apologized.  
  
"Mo… no need to apologise…" Rukawa brushed away a lock of stray hair from her face. "Kimi-chan… how… how did you get into this mess?"  
  
"I don't recall actually, but all I know was that I felt a lot of pain and the whole world was dark… I… I was scared that I might not be able to see you again…" Yukaede buried her face in Rukawa's shoulder.  
  
Rukawa gently comforted her. "It's alright… you're safe…"  
  
"Anata-chan?"  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"Your hands… are cold…"  
  
A/N #3: *Phew* I still cannot believe I wrote this… *Blink blink* Anyway, I hope you guys will like it… ^^;; *Wishes that this could happen to her* XPPP  
  
~Faye Dante Rukawa/ Yukaede Aoisato/ Faye Ignisia Heinlein/ Faye Bennington~  
  
~24 March 2002~  
  
~8:33 pm, Malaysia Time~ 


End file.
